The Hazel Collective
by oopsohmy
Summary: Short stories set before, during, and after Heroes of Olympus. -Hazel centric- -Mostly AU-
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: ** I own nothing folks!

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Hazel has a late night talk with someone she least expects...

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Hazel sat up from her position on the dark deck of the Argo II when she heard a noise from behind her. She grabbed her weapon and jumped up ready to attack when she heard a familiar voice.

"It's just me," the form said stepping closer. Hazel tensed up at the sight of the familiar face being illuminated by the lantern in their hand.

"Frank, ", she stated gripping the handle of her weapon tightly. Dark eyes bore into her before a small smile broke across his face. Hazel grimaced slightly as she looked at the face she spent the last couple of weeks avoiding.

"We have to talk," he said walking towards her his face serious. She noticed in the dim light he had a blanket draped across his other arm. She watched as Frank spread out the blanket and then motioned for her to sit down. She didn't put down her weapon as she sat down making sure to put enough space between them. He didn't seem to be bothered by it, he just sat the lantern between them casting both their faces in a soft light.

"There is nothing to talk about", she stated quietly. Turning away to look at the dark sky. There was a long pause of silence before she heard Frank sigh behind her.

"Look I know what happened is a lot to -"

Hazel whipped her head around to face him again glaring.

"I saw Frank's wood burn up. I saw him die! And then I saw you," she hissed trying to control her temper and the tears that were forming in her eyes. The battle against Gaea's army was long and bloody. After thwarting her final sacrifice it took almost a year of them fighting for their lives to reach Gaea, and another year spent fighting and figuring out how to put her back to sleep. They'd had so much ambrosia and nectar they were feverish and nearly immune. They were so close to the end of the fight, and Hazel didn't know how Frank ended up fighting with a Cyclops over his piece of wood. She tried to stop him but by the time she'd gotten there it was too late. Frank was dead, eyes staring blankly at the sky, and the ashes from the wood dark against his hand. Hazel fought her way over to him sparing only a few seconds to try to get out of the way, but as soon as she went to touch him, he blinked. Frank's head turned and his eyes locked on her own; Hazel could do nothing but look in horror as eyes that once held so much light were now so dark and sinister. As he stood up again, he began to glow red, his blessing of Mars taking over. With one last glance at her Frank rushed back into the fray.

"I might not be the Frank you know," he said suddenly bringing Hazel back into the moment. "But I am Frank. I don't have to lie about that."

The conviction and solemn tone of his voice almost made Hazel want to believe him. She shook head and turned away from him.

"Whatever you are, I want you to leave his body. Let him rest in peace."

"He is in peace. ", Frank told her. "He lived his life like predicted. It was short, but it was very bright. He accepted that and knew that it was his time to go. "

Hazel turned slightly to look at him again. His face was sad in the dim light of the lantern, and she felt a pain in her chest. She knew that in the back of her mind that this was Frank, but a part of him that she never knew, and probably would have never shown her if he could have helped it.

"He knew there were things about himself that he could never reconcile. He was always stuck being two halves of one person."

Hazel had turned around fully by then and the grip on her weapon had loosened.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"He was always conflicted about how he felt. Chinese or Canadian, Greek or Roman, hating violence and being the son of Mars and an officer of the Army. Your Frank and me."

Hazel looked down at the blanket at the last sentence.

"I knew he always felt he never really felt whole, but why didn't I know about you?"

Hazel looked up at him and he shrugged.

"He was scared of what I was and what would happen if he let too much of me in. He was right to do so. If he reconciled both of us, Frank would have completely died that day.

"So what are you?", she asked absently moving closer to him. Frank didn't seem to mind or he just didn't care.

"I'm the part of Frank that you saw on the battlefield. The part that didn't stop killing until everything in my way was dead. I'm the one who commanded the armies of the dead your brother rose. I'm the one your Frank let take over every time he thought you were in danger."

Hazel thought back to those times on the battlefield when she'd gotten hurt or injured and she would watch the concern in his eyes slowly turn into rage. She would watch terrified as he cut down everything in his path. When it was all over Frank would hold her and look at her like she was the most valuable thing on the Earth. She willed herself not to cry as she stood up.

"I think I'm going to bed now.", she said walking past him. He nodded his head but didn't move to follow her, which she was glad for. She'd only taken a few steps when she heard him softly called her name. She turned around slowly and waited for him to speak.

"I'll probably never be able to give you what your Frank did. But I promised him I would keep you safe and happy, and that is what I plan to do."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ** I own nothing!

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Hazel gets a surprise before dinner...

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Hazel could have killed Percy. Literally. She was chopping vegetables in the kitchen of her New Rome apartment when she heard the door creak open. In an instant she switched the grip on her knife to make it a weapon. She walked out of the kitchen and saw a lanky figure closing her door. Despite her short stature she put the stranger in a chokehold.

"Hazel! It's me!" , they said with a strangled cry. Hazel recognized the voice immediately and let them go, not with out pushing them into the door first.

"Percy, why did you break into my apartment?" Hazel asked knife still in her hand. Percy got up and faced her grinning sheepishly.

"You've gotten stronger.", he noted impressed as he walked passed her into the living room. "Frank here?"

Hazel sat her knife down in the kitchen before joining him.

"No, he's at the camp. Praetor business. Why?"

Hazel looked at her friend and noticed that he looked more weary than usual, which was saying something. The war hadn't been kind to any of them, and it didn't get any easier once they got back to their camps. Even though Gaea had been forced back into her slumber, it was still so much left to do. Monsters they hadn't sent back to Tartarus during the war had dispersed all over the world, and the "Heroes of Olympus" were responsible for the clean up.

"You look tired.", she finally said after a moment of silence. "Why don't you shower and take a nap? I'll wake you up when Frank gets home."

Percy looked grateful for the idea of a hot shower and real bed.

"I'll bring you some towels and a change of clothes in a minute.", she said to his retreating figure. Hazel grabbed a towel and a spare outfit Percy left the last time he was there. She walked into the bathroom and was hit with a face full of steam. Percy peaked his head out from behind the shower curtain.

"Thanks.", he said before disappearing again. Hazel retreated out of the bathroom and back to the kitchen determined to finish dinner.

"Hazel? You here?" Frank's voice called. Hazel looked up from her position on the couch and saw Frank walk in with his purple Praetor's cloak still hanging on his broad shoulders.

"Percy's here." she stated watching Frank collapse on the recliner. He didn't look surprised but he did raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I said I'd wake him when you got here. Did you eat at camp?", Hazel asked before getting up to wake Percy.

"No, did you cook?"

Hazel nodded and disappeared into the guest bedroom, which was hers only a few months ago. Percy was resting peacefully and she almost didn't want to wake him.

"Percy, wake up, Frank's here." she said gently trying not to startle him. Percy got up without much protest and followed her into the living room. Frank and Percy greeted each other and Percy flopped down on the couch.

"What's brings you to New Rome?", Frank asked sitting back down. Percy opened his mouth to speak but Hazel interrupted.

"Why don't we talk over dinner? I'm sure everyone is hungry."

They took a few minutes to settle at the table with their food before Percy started his story.

"My godly father has decided I need to go to Atlantis.", he stated taking a bite of his food. Hazel and Frank both looked him.

"Like the lost city." Frank said. "That sank in the ocean."

"It didn't really sink, the whole city just kind of relocated magically." Percy stated like that was any better.

"What's the problem then?" Hazel asked.

"Atlantis wants to conquer some little oceanic nation with some really powerful friends, and it's getting to be one really big pain in my ass."

"So how can we help?" Frank asked. Hazel nodded in agreement.

"Well I need the back up. Annabeth and Piper are investigating some earthborn in the Colorado , and Jason and Leo are in Houston trying to keep some stray wind spirits from destroying the city."

"So we're your back up plan." Hazel said giving him a look. Percy looked like he'd been punched in the gut.

"Never that Hazel. I actually need you two the most. My authority as the son of Poseidon only reaches so far and Frank is really good with that whole manipulating situations thing."

"Thank you.", Frank said through a bite of his dinner. Percy nodded before looking at Hazel.

"And I need you to actually help me find Atlantis. The tricky thing is it keeps bouncing around. It's taken me longer and longer to actually reach the damn place each time I go. I was hoping you could use your magic to figure out the city's location."

Hazel picked at her food for a second before answering.

"That shouldn't be too hard.", she said and Percy grinned at her.

"Great. This is great. We leave tomorrow morning."

"What?!" both Frank and Hazel said. Percy kept grinning at them like a madman.

"Reyna is going to kill me.", Frank stated looking more annoyed than scared of how mad his co-praetor would be at him running off again.

"Doubt it." Percy said. "You're like the best Praetor ever. Who would she replace you with? Octavian?"

Hazel's face scrunched in disgust. She didn't know how that creep survived the war, but she knew Frank wanted nothing more than his head on the wall of his Praetor's home, even more so when he starting campaigning as Praetor again.

"True. ", Frank agreed finishing the last of his dinner. He got up and began to gather the plates from the table before walking into the kitchen.

"I guess I'll have to tell the Amazons I'm postponing my trip for a while" Hazel said.

"How are they anyway?" Percy asked taking a sip of his soda.

"They're fine, still trying to convince me to join after that whole Arion thing. " Hazel replied. "Upside is they've given me 20% off all purchases and free shipping for life. Oh and Kenzie sends her love"

Hazel giggled as Percy choked on his soda.

"Yeah well tell her I said hi."

Frank returned moments later, trying to fasten his cloak around his shoulders.

"I'm going to head back to camp to talk with Reyna, do you want to join me?" Frank asked while trying to close the clasps that held his cloak together. Hazel got up from her chair and went over to help him.

"I think I'm going to pass on camp tonight. I've had a craving for gelato."

"Do they have blueberry?" Percy asked. Hazel nodded as she fastened the cloak.

"Guess I'm on my own then." Frank said turning to leave. "Bring me a pint of pineapple will you?"


End file.
